Continue funding for the “Mut-Muskel-Training“ project!

The Federal Ministry of the Interior – as the supervising authority of the Federal Agency for Civic Education – has prohibited the funding of a project in the field of democracy promotion by the activist group “Radikale Töchter.”

Federal funding institutions, including subordinate agencies, whose project funding is dedicated to aspects of democratic coexistence in the Federal Republic that are relevant to society as a whole, should not have their autonomy compromised in any way: Through their fact-based work, they are an integral part of a resilient and vibrant democracy in Germany.

At stake here is also the fundamental approach of politicians to the federal government’s socio-political responsibilities: This concerns the exemplary principles of reliability, freedom, and integrity in the matter at hand, which define the work of numerous federal institutions and must not be undermined by political arbitrariness.

As signatories, we view these developments with great concern and appeal to the federal government and parliament to act with greater expertise and sensitivity in the realm of grants and awards, so as not to jeopardize precisely what these decisions are meant to protect: nothing less than the freedom of opinion and art in a democracy.

Initial signatories:

• Akademie der Künste, Manos Tsangaris, President
• Bündnis internationaler Produktionshäuser with
  • Kampnagel Hamburg, Amelie Deuflhard, Artistic Director
  • Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm Frankfurt a.M., Marcus Droß and Anna Wagner,
    Artistic Direction and Management
  • tanzhaus nrw, Düsseldorf, Ingrida Gerbutavičiūtė, Artistic Director
  • PACT Zollverein, Essen, Stefan Hilterhaus, Artistic Director and Managing Director
  • HELLERAU - Europäisches Zentrum der Künste, Dresden , Carena Schlewitt, Artistic Director and Artistic Director
  • FFT Düsseldorf, Kathrin Tiedemann, Artistic Director and Managing Director  
  • HAU Hebbel am Ufer, Berlin, Annemie Vanackere, Artistic Direction and Management
• Fonds Darstellende Künste, Wolfgang Schneider, Member of the Board, Anna Wagner und Dan Thy Nguyen, Chairs of the Board of Trustees, and Holger Bergmann, Managing Director
• Freie Volksbühne Berlin e.V. / Kulturvolk, Katrin Schindler, Managing Director
• Verband Deutscher Puppentheater / VDP, Heike Klockmeier, Member of the Board
• ver.di, Lisa Mangold, Head of the Arts & Culture Division
• GDBA / Genossenschaft Deutscher Bühnen-Angehöriger, Lisa Jopt, President
• Wiener Festwochen, Milo Rau, Artistic Director

Additional signatories:

• Bundesverband Freie Darstellende Künste, Cilgia Gadola und Paul Hess, Managing Directors
• Bundesverband Theater im Öffentlichen Raum, Clair Howells, Board
• Dramaturgische Gesellschaft, Board
• International Theater Institute Germany, Dr. Juliane Zellner, Director
• UNIMA Germany, Ruth Brockhausen, Board Member